Rate-indicating device for fluids.



l P. N. CONNET.

RATE INDICATING DEVICE FOB FLUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED 1130.21, moa.

Patented June 7, 1.910.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Figi.

TOR/YE Y urn-,ix 'Jammin FRsDsRlcK N- CQNNz-n n F. N. GONNBT.

RATE INDIGATING DEVICE FOR FLUIDS.

APPLICATION YILED DEU. 2l, 1908.

Patented June 7, 1910.

BSHEETB-'HEBT 2.

INVENTOR T., u M c.m N. K m R E D n F# UNiTED STATES Pagani* oratori.

FREDERICK N. CONN ET, OF PROVIDENGE, RIGIDE ISLAND.

BATE-INDICATING DEVICE FOB FLUIDS.

To all whom it may co'rwcrn:

Be known that I, Fin-:Demon N. Cox. NET, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have Ainvented certain new and useful Improve- .ments heiivypressures, such lfor instance as the high pressure re service for reaching tall buildiiigs,for pipe lines through which oil, water or other liquids or gases are pumped,

vfor other purposes for which the same may be tidaitedt This instrument is more particular y adapted Dto he used in connection with the Venturi meter tube and to be operated by hand whereby it is caused to indicute the rate ot' tlow through the meter tube at the time of observation.

-Zl`lie instrument contains two chambers,

the'lower one of which is connected to the ii'p-stream pressure of the meter tube, while the .upper chamber is connected to the throat pressure of said tube. ln the lower chamber is a well partly tilled with mercury,

and a tube of insulating material.v such as hard rubber, connected with the upper chamber and extends downward into this mercury well. wherebyy the water pressure in the loweigchamber in acting upon said iiiercuiv .forces the. saine up the tube to a height proportional to' the dilt'erence between the pressures in the two chambers, therefore the height to which the mercury .is forced-in the said inner tube is a measure of the velocity of the water flowing through the meter tube. p i* A 'lheold method. of ascertaining' the height of this mercury. while working under low pressiires.was to use a graduated glass U-tiibe through .which the inovei'neiit oitlie 'mercury could be readily seen, but it .is -found in practicethat glass cannot stand the extremely high ilii'essures to which these instruments. are subjected. therefore a simle means has-been provided whereby the lieight. of the mercury, and thereby the rate of tiow, may be indicated on the outside of Specification of Letters Patent.

. Application led December 21, 1908. Serial No. 468,525.

.Patented Jane 7, 1910.'

the instrument. To accomplish this reading in a simple manner the mercury in theftube and well is insulated .from the frame ofthe machine. A vertically adjustable metal rack or stri is adapted to extend from the upper cham er down into the insulated tube so that its lower end, which is provided with a platinum point, may come in contact with the mercury completing an electric circuit, whereby a light or other electrically operated device indicating the com letion ofthe circuit is operated. This rac is mani ulated by means of a hand wheel thron a shaft and pinion, the movement of wiich hand Wheel also rotates a graduated dial in proportion to the movement of the rack. Therefore when the hand wheel isturned so as to lower the rack into proper engagement;v with the mercury the lamp is lighted a'nd the reading on the dial at that time indicates the rate at which the water, or other Huid, is passing through the meter tube. With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the' appended claims.:v f 'i' In the. accompanying drawings :f Figure, 1 is a front elevation of ,the manometer showing the same connected' up to a Venturi tube. Fig. 2 is a central sectional eleva'- tion from the rear of the machine. Fi 3` isgaii enlarged View of a portion of the lowe'r chamber ot' the machine showing the nier# :seA

cury well and illustrating one of the contactpoints electrically connected thereto. Fig. -lillusti-ates a detail of the mercury well and another means of forming a connection with this contact point, which comprises a conducting wire leading from said point down into said well, the lower end to be'submerged in the mercury thcrein.- Fig. 5- is an enlarged View of a portion of the instrument showing the upper chamber Ain section to illustrate the operation of the hand wheel and the'nieans for actuating both-the-rack and graduated dial. Fig. ('iis a. plan View showing a transversesectioii AthroughV the Referring to the drawings, -1'1designates thc tuhuiar outer shell which forinsfthe lower chamber ot' the instri'uiient, the lower end of said tube being closed by means of tianges 2 and 3, which are bolted together to forni a suitable joint, liange 3 also forming a. base u'poii which the instrument is adapted .to be set and through may be bolted I An upper 'casing 5 is 'provided' with a rectangular chamber v6 .ffQI-med thereon, the lower end of said casingbeing connected to theupper end of thetubular shell 1 b being threaded as 'at 7 onto the same or yany Aother convenient :neans of connection.

" f .A head or plate 8-is secured to the upper end of this casi ,into which is threaded an upwardly exten ing tube 9 for the recept1on of the strip 'or toothed rack hereinafter described, said tube being provided with a cap 10 at its upperend to which is secured lanair valve 11 .-A' cup or well 12 is located in the lower end'of. chamberl and is for the purpose of receiving a portion of mercury used in the o eration o the instrument. This well is erefore suitably lined on its internal surface with porcelain or other suitable material to prevent deteriorating action of the mercury upon the metal of which the well may be formed. This well is electrically in- 2? Sulatcd from the rest of the machine by the .insulating plate 23 andthe hands 24 and 25 which support said well and prevent the ...'same from coming in contact with the outer In order to provide a suitable connection from the lower chamber 13 ,to the upper chamber 6 I have inserted a tube l5 of msulating material, such as hard rubber or the like, through the lower wall 14 of the casing 5., the lower end of which tube extends downward'into the mercury well 12 nearly to the tomqthereof. A bushing 16 of porcelain ,'.0` other suitable material, having a small ntral hole 17, through which the mercury may pass, is secured in the lower end of this inner tube so as to displace a, portion of area of the tube, thereby requirihg less mercury to operate the instrument. n order to form an electric connection to the mercury in this well the same may be constructed of Acast iron or other suitable material, and

have a small spot of its porcelain lining removed as at 18. A brass collar 19 may be attached to the'upper end of the well cup with which theend of the pin 20 of the binding post 21 may'come in contact, or a wire 22, as illustrated in Fig. 4, may extend from-this contact pin down into the mercury in the bottom of thewell for making the connection, if desired, or any other suitable or' convenient means may be employed for making an electric connection to the mer- ,curyinthebottom of the well.

.heated in the upper chamber 6 is a toothed rack 26 or other endwise movable -.-,member which is long enough to reach nearly to the bottom of tube 15. The upper portion of this. rack extends up into the pipe 9 and is rovided at its lower end with a platinum point 27 in order to sensitize the same to the action ofthe electric current when the lower end comes 1n contact with the mercury in the tube. This rack or member 'may be moved up and down by means of the actuating hand wheel 29, through a shaft 30 and intermeshing pinion 2S. This shaft passes through a suitable packing gland 37 and its inner end 38 is provided with a bearing in the plug 39.` A flanged idler4 pulley 31 mounted on the short shaft 31* backs up sald rack and keeps the same in constant mesh with the pinion 28. A graduated dial 32'1s provided with a .hollow central portion 40 in which a glass .is set and retained by means of the collar 41. This dial is secured to the gear 33, which gear is provided with a center bearing collar 34, the whole being mounted and adapted to rotate on the hollow trunnion 35, which' trunnion is fixed to the caslng at 36.

A point-er or index finger 42 is supported from the trunnion at 43 and adapted to exltend over the edge of the index disk.

A small pinion 44 is mounted on the shaft 30 and adapted to mesh with the gear 33,.

whereb when the hand wheel is turned to move t e rack up and down it also gives a potportional circular motion to the index p a e.

An incandescent lamp 45 is located within the central hub or trunnion 35, see Fig. 5. One terminal 46 of this lamp is connected to the frame of the instrument, and said frame is electrically connected to the platinum tipped metal rack through its contacting and operating pinion and shaft. The other terminal of the lam is connected through wire 47 to one pole o an electric battery 48, sec Fig. 1, the other pole of the battery being connected to the insulated terminal 21 above described, whereby the electric circuit is completed when the platinum tip' is brought in contact with the mercury.

The operation of this measurin ment may be more fully describe as follows: The liquids or frases fiow through the meter tube 49 in the' direction of the arrow.

vThe up stream side of the tube is gonnected by the pipe 50t0 the lower chamber 13, -while the throat is connected through the pipe 51 to the upper chamber 6. lVhcn there is no fiow through the tube the pressure at all points therein is, of course, equal, and all the mercury in the instrument remains in the instruesmero i a indicating the moment of completing the electric circuit, yet-l do'not"rcstrictl nivsclf 'to this means of indicating'. 'as'airelectric bell, voltmeter,or-:othcr cicct-ricall-v operated devlce'may beemployed for this' purpose."

:gi-Uien itV isfdesircdto equalize the`l presf, f sures in the: two chambers.v or-'test tlic instrument,the -valves 52 and -arccloscch valves 54 and 55 and the by-pass'valvc 5t; are. open.

thus the-water 4is-allmved to circulate bel tween the two chambers and equalize thc w, pressuretherein. aftwhich time the reading on the dial should be-zero at the moment the electrical-fcqntact indicating device is opcratednf e: 2f sh` ffHavi'ng thus described my invention. what fai; I claim as newfantl desire to secure by Lettm'rate'm., is: 'F f" 2|ik The combination with a meter tube, of

aldevice provided with two chambers, means for'connec'ting eaclr of said chambers with in different pressure 'points in `said meter tube,

fluidsot' two dili'erentgravitics in one chamber',- a connecting tube 'between said chambers .25 throughA which'fthe:heavier liquid ma v be forced'from-onetoward the other in proportionrto' tli'efdieren'ce in pressures between Said ohiunbers'and manually operated means whe'eby'the-rateofiHow through said mctcr tube-maybe indicated when desired.

f2.1!Tlie'conibination with a meter tube, of adevioeprovidcdwith two chambers, means for-connectinga'ch"of said chambers withdil'ern't pressure points in said meter tube. fluids of tfwodifferent'gravities in one chamben-,a connecting tube between said chambers 'i-tlrrduh-wliicli the-'heavierliquid may be fo'c'edfri'mr'one'toward the other, in proportion to the difference in pressures between 40 said-iclnibers'andriiially opcn electric circuit 1i n ,said,devieeggiheais whereby said circuit'inajf-*be coniploted through said hcavy Afluid when desired. and means for indicating the completionofsaid Acircuit.y

3. The combination-l with a meter tube, of

a device provided with two chambers, means forconnecting cach of said chambers with different pressure points in said meter tube, fluids of t-wo different gravities in one cham- ,50 ber, a Connecting tube bet-ween said chambers through which the heavier liquid may 'be forced from one toward the other in proportion to the difference in pressures between said chambers, a. normally opcn elcctric circuit in said device, means whereby said circuitI may be completed through said heavy fluid, means for indicating the completion of said circuit, and .means operatively related to the' circuit completingr 50 means for indicating the rate of flow through the meter tube at thejtinie the ciri cuit is completed.

4. The combination with'a meter tube, of

' a. device provided with two chambers, means for connecting each of said chambers with l-crsftlirougliwhichfthe 4heavier ,liquid may be forced froinone toward theotlierv in pros 7,0

vportiini',tofthelllirici-ence in pressures betwccn saidYlai'iiilicis, an indi ating device. mcans whereby 4Said device may be manu; a ll v operated, amlclecti'ic meanscoperat, ingavhh the manually operated. device to 7,5 indicate thc time for taking the reading from said indicatiu T device.

l rlhc combination with a ,incter tribe.. lof a dcvicc provided with two chainlcrs.]neai1s for connecting eachot' said'chamb'rrswith 80 ditierent pressure points in said meter tube.l tluids of two dilferent lgraviticsin'one cha ni?" ber, a connecting tube bctwccn saidchanif' bers through which theheavic'r liquid iuayf; be forced from one toward the other'iii pro- 85. portion to the difference ii`i1p'ressiircs lietween said chambers, a normally opcn electricV4 circuit in said device, a movable iizeiiib'er by' which .said circuit may bccoinplcfed through said hcavv fluid, mcanshfor indicatingr the A completion of said circuit. and meansoperi'ltively related to the circuit 'completing means whereby the rate of How 'through the" meter tubev correspondingY to thc heifhtf'ofJl said Huid may be imlica'ted'f:V "i i f *95H The combination with a iiieter tube,'iif^ "I" a device provided with: wochambers',` means*- for connecting each -of said jcliatiibcrs"witli' different pressure points ilisaid meter-" t'ube,"vf fluids of two dili'ereut gravitiesiirone'chan-{jot} ber. aconnecting tubc'bctwecn said chains" bers through which the heavierAl-iquid may bc forced from onetow'ard the. other inpro-'f' portion to the differencel in pressures between `said chambers, a normaliy open'electri'-'t'i cuit in said device, andihandfoperatedmbt able means 'by which ffsaidvcircuit-fmaybef completed through said heaify llnidrwlienr desired. means for indicatingfthe conipletiqnc of said circuit, and means.zqaerativelyE ref'- `-110 lated to the circuit completing means whereby the rate of flow through theznieter tube corresponding,T to thc height of said Lluid is indicated when the electrical indicator 'isv operated.

7. The combination with a meter tube, of a device provided with two chambers, means for connecting cach of said chambers with different pressure points in said meter tube, fluids ot' two different gravities in one cham- 120 ber, a connecting tube between said chainbers through which the heavier liquid may bc foi-ccd from one toward the other in pro portion to the difference in pressures between said chambers` a normally open electric circuit in said device, a hand operated cndwisc movable rack by which said circuit mai be completed through said hea-Vy Huid when desired, electrical means for indicating i the completion of said circuit, and a gradul0 lated to the circuit completing means for in- -ated dial geared to operate in unison with said rack whereby the rate of How tliiouvh A"the meter tube corresponding to the lieigit of said fluid in indicated when read at the 1 time indicated by the electrical device.

8. The combination with a meter tube, of a device provided with an upper and a. lower chamber, means for connecting each of said chambers with dilerent pressure points in said meter tube, a well containing mercury. the lower chamber, a tube coffimunicating with the upper chamber and extending :nto said mercury weil whereby said mercury is causcd to rise in said tube to a 15 height in proportion to the difference in pressures in Said chambers, a. normally open electric circuit in said device, means whereby said circuit may be completed't-hrough said mercury when desired, and means operatively related to the circuit complet- ,ing .means for indicating the rate of ilow i through the meter tube at the time said cirsaid mercury well whereby the mercury is caused to rise in said tube to a height in proportion to the difference in pressures in said chambers, a normally open electric circuit in said device, a manually-operated endwise movable member adapted to be moved in to engagement with the mercury in said tube when desired whereby circuit may be com leted, means for indicating the completion of the circuit, means operatively redicating the rate of ow' through the meter tube at the time the'completioii of the circuit is indicated.

l0. Theccinbination with a meter tube, ofit.;

a device provided with an upper and a lower chamber, means'for connecting each of said Acontaining mercury, a tube communicating with the upper chamber and extending into Said mercury well whereby the mercury is caused' to rise in said tube to a height in proportion to the difference in pressures in said chambers, a normally open electric circuit in said device, a rack, a hand-operated means for moving said rack into engagement with the mercury in said tube whereby said circuit may be completed, means for indicating the com letion of said circuit, and a rotatable gra uated rate of How indicating dial geared to be operated in unison with said rack whereby said rate`is indicated on said dial at the time the circuit is completed.

l1. The combination with a meter tube, of a device provided with two intercommunicating chambers, means for connecting each of said chambers with points iii said meter tube, uids of two different gravities in one chamber, a connecting tube between said chambers, the

heavier Huid in` said latter chamber being caused to move through said tube towar different pressure u the second chamber a distance in proportion to the difference in pressures between that in said chambers, a normally open electric circuit in said device, means for completing Said circuit through said heavy fiuid, an means operatively related to the circuit completing means for indicating the rate of flow through the meter tube wzhen said circuitis completed.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK N. CONNET. Witnesses:

HERBERT J. BURROUGIL Howaim E. BAnLow. 

